


In the Nights’ eye: A Thousand Skies

by sleepyanimefan



Category: Dr. STONE (Anime), Dr. STONE (Manga)
Genre: Family Feels, Father-Son Relationship, Friendship, Gen, Hope, Hurt/Comfort, Senkuu lacks self-preservation, Taiju tries his best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:15:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26193994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepyanimefan/pseuds/sleepyanimefan
Summary: His son may be the personification of a thousand skies which were limitless and wonderful and terrifying, but skies do fall. They fall and leave behind tragedy.
Relationships: Ishigami Byakuya & Ishigami Senkuu, Ishigami Senkuu & Ooki Taiju
Comments: 1
Kudos: 65





	In the Nights’ eye: A Thousand Skies

**Author's Note:**

> Just me wanting to give Byakuya a Dad of the Year Award after I devoured Dr. Stone anime and manga.

It’s normal for parents to believe in their children, even to an irrational level really. So Byakuya believed in his son, Senkuu. It was absolute faith; there was no space for anything else. His scrawny, smart, seemingly uncaring son was capable, and undoubtedly, the child would survive, thrive and take back all that was taken away by this global petrification. Those were sky high hopes, but then… Senkuu might as good as touch the sky before his old man did.

When the oldest astronaut settled down on the island with his companions, illogical desires like going to Japan just to find, see and embrace his son overtook him very so often. But illogical being the keyword, he did not give in. He would not do anyone good by dying at sea and damning humanity even closer to possible permanent extinction. No, not permanent. Senkuu would break out of petrification and rebuild everything. Byakuya and his crew might fail, but his child would succeed. But still… he continuously reminded and urged himself to pave the way for Senkuu. He thought of everything he could leave behind to ease Senkuu’s burden: people and hopefully good friends, the 100 tales, the recorder, rare metal like platinum in the Soyuz. Those would have to be enough. Senkuu would make the best of whatever he was able to leave behind.

He knew Lillian was probably just being considerate and kind when she did not question his unwavering belief in his son’s ability to bear the weight of… well, everything. But he knew Senkuu. His kid was… arguably a gift from the gods. Vast knowledge of all science related matters which basically include everything under and above the sky aside, Senkuu was strong-minded and disciplined. His physical weaknesses and non-existent stamina were causes for serious concern, but his passion, faith in and mastery of science would make up for those. Perhaps Senkuu was still far from the level of countless adult experts in their fields, but his child was different. Because he was interested in all fields. Because he faithfully devoured all forms of scientific knowledge humanity has to offer and put as much as he could into practice. Because Senkuu’s brain never stopped working, his mind forever thinking, questioning, and solving problems.

Even when all books, notes, computers, records, monuments, everything humanity’s ever achieved disappear from the planet, Senkuu would always remember and bring them back. Byakuya believed this, to the point of knowing and seeing it happening in his mind’s eye when things got too hard and depressing.

As time passed, and Byakuya blamed old age for this, his thoughts wandered to dark places. Senkuu’s science may be a source of great danger itself… His son may be the personification of a thousand skies which were limitless and wonderful and terrifying, but skies do fall. They fall and leave behind tragedy.

_10-year-old Senku with 11-year-old Taiju:_

“Sometimes I’m just so immersed in knowledge that science seems to drown me,” he heard Senkuu telling Taiju whose face was confused but earnest and supportive. “It’s a little scary, but the pull of science is so exhilarating that I would gladly let it consume me...”

When he heard those words, practically Senku implicitly saying that he would die for and because of science one day, his heart clenched but there was this… twisted pride too. He was a man of science himself, and his aspiration of going to space might just end in his death… Expecting Senkuu to not give his all to science to preserve his health and safety was hypocritical. Any negative words regarding this were likely to be ill-received by Senkuu, so Byakuya acted as if he had not heard his son. The next part of the conversation would have eased his fatherly concerns if he had not respected Senkuu’s privacy too much and stayed a little longer to hear…

Taiju was quiet for a while, making a real effort to understand what his friend was not saying.  
“I don’t really understand Senkuu!! But if you ever drown, I will save you!” promised Taiju excitedly, “I am good at swimming after all!!!”

“Hahaha, you big oaf! Your stupid ass will end up drowned with me.” exasperatedly said Senku, his eyes fond despite the harsh words. His eyes a little sad, as if hiding the fact that it was very difficult to save someone who willingly puts themselves at risk.

“Then we will drown together!” shaking Senkuu’s slim shoulders, Taiju declared, “Or Senkuu can just learn to swim, and we will have so much fun!”

Senkuu was flawed. But aside from his genius mind, his son had the best of friends in Taiju and before Byakuya left for NASA, that girl from the crafts club named Yuzuriha. And he would certainly have more. So Byakuya only feared just a tiny bit for his gifted and amazing son. The rest of it was hope and belief, and he wished upon the stars that his child could feel that when he finally woke up and looked at the same but different night sky.


End file.
